Temporal characteristics of palatoglossus and palatal levator muscle action in nasal consonant production were studied in seven Swedish speakers. Single motor unit potentials from these muscles were detected by inserted wire electrodes, stored on magnetic tape, and later recorded on light-sensitive paper for analysis. Results suggest that (1) the palatoglossus contracts to lower the palate actively for nasal consonant production; (2) there is a simultaneous relaxation of the palatal levator; (3) the EMG data show considerable temporal variability in the face of quite invariant acoustic data; and (4) in spite of the temporal variability, there is enough consistency to allow the development of a simple model of palatal coarticulation. Specifically, we suggest that for the production of nasals the palatal musculature functions rather grossly. The levator relaxes its activity in a gatelike fashion, allowing a temporal space during which the palate is easily lowered. During the open phase of the gate a slight pull is provided by the paltoglossus to assist in palatal lowering. During this “gating” and “pulling” process the articulators function for the actual production of the nasal. The position of the “gate” and its concomittant “pull” vary temporally with respect to the acoustic signal of the nasal in a highly predictable manner, largely dependent upon intraoral pressure requirements of adjacent phonemes.